Great Gates for Any House

A California gate builder and artist demonstrates the intricacies of crafting a quatrefoil

When you watch gate builder and artist Julian Hodges sculpt a twin-sided quatrefoil for one of his gates, you understand two things. For one, he was born to do this type of intricate work, and with practice, you can do it too. Starting with a precise layout, Hodges gouges out an orb with extreme care, and then gently cuts the wood with a Japanese saw to separate the cusps from each other; the effect draws the eye inward. Finally, Hodges rasps, sands, and seals the quatrefoil to perfection.